The February 5 event ushered in a new public vision of vocational occupations in Mongolia, challenging the widespread perception that females were not fit in such heavy industries as mining and construction. 

According to Tuv Azza LLC Human Resource Manager G.Altantuya, as reported in the UB Post newspaper, heavy industries were interested in hiring females, particularly in the fields of engineering and security. “Women can be very successful once they chose these majors,” she said.

Advisor to the Minister of Labour, Ts. Nyamsuren, also quoted in the UB Post, said the ministry was making changes in relevant policies and laws to enable women to undertake positions in technical fields.

A total of 80 girls took part in the “Girls’ Day” event, where they received information about Mongolia’s vocational education, the specifics of different technical professions and current career opportunities.

They also took part in workshops, using tools and practising their skills under the guidance of teachers in the fields of carpentry, bricklaying, house-painting, electrical engineering and geodesy.

More than 15 Mongolian companies representing the mining, construction, food, hospitality, and trade and commerce sectors provided information on their particular areas of specialisation.  

Thanks to the success of the first “Girls’ Day” – organised in cooperation with the Institute of Engineering Technology, the GIZ Cooperative Vocational Training (CVT) Project will support more vocational schools in organising similar activities throughout 2015, with the aim of making “Girls’ Day” an annual event in Mongolia.

GIZ’s CVT Project is co-financed by German Government, SDC and the Australian government and is aimed at reforming Mongolia’s vocational education sector.

“Aquafire”, an Arts Council of Mongolia production to be held on December 24 at the Corporate Hotel and Convention Centre in Ulaanbaatar, examines patriarchy, democracy and gender equality through the eyes of both men and women, and challenges the gender stereotypes associated with national cultural identity. 

Lending their talents to the landmark production are dancer and choreographer Odbayar Batsuuri, who is a member of the Chicago-based Hedwig Dances ensemble, composer Purevsukh Tyeliman, film-maker Ikhbayar Shagdarsuren, Swiss trumpet player Matthieu Michel and American stage and lighting designer Barry Steele. The performance features three parts, “Fire Dreamed of Aqua”, “Aqua Falls in Love with Fire” and “Aquafire”, set to live music and backed with video art. 

In conjunction with the performance, the Arts Council of Mongolia will host an Artsee talk series on gender equality and stereotypes with the production team, a gender-equality activist and other professionals on December 17 at the Corporate Hotel.